Pocket



J. DE GRAZIA POCKET Filed May 16, 1947 March m, 1950 OB/VEY Patented Mar. 2l, 1950 lUNl'i'ED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

In Army trench coatsI as Well as in certain types of civilian topcoats and overcoats the body of the garment is provided with a vertical slot coextensive with the mouth of the pocket so as to permit access to the clothing beneath the overcoat.

Coats of this type may have many obvious advantages but nevertheless are highly objectionable in that they are often the primary cause of the loss of articles by reason of the fact that the wearer may inadvertently place his hand through the slot, rather than into the mouth of the pocket, and release articles intended to be deposited in the pocket, thereby allowing them to drop to the ground.

It is an object of the present invention to incorporate in coats of this type a releasable means for normally closing the slot adjacent the mouth of the pocket so as to eliminate, or at least reduce to a minimum7 losses of this kind.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a releasable fastening means for the slot which also has the dual function of fastening the mouth of the pocket itself, when desired, so as to prevent the inadvertent discharge of articles deposited therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a trench coat or the like showing the pocket and slot both secured in closed position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the slot as fastened and the pocket ap unfastened to permit access to the pocket. r

Figure 3 is a similar view showing both the pocket and the slot in unfastened condition so as to permit access to other clothing of the wearer such as a trouser pocket.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a complete coat with the novel pocket arrangement installed therein; and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the numeral l indicates the body of the coat material and the numeral 2 indicates the lining. The usual pocket is indicated by the numeral 3 and the numeral l represents a flap for closing the mouth of the pocket. The conventional slot adjacent the mouth of the pocket is for permitting access to the garments enveloped by the trench coat or the like and is indicated by numeral 6.

Secured to the forward edge of the slot B is an extension or flap l which may be substantially coextensive with the length of the slot, and on which is mounted a button or other type of fastening means The adjacent edge of the slot G is provided with a buttonhole 9 and the ilap d of the pocket is also provided with a buttonhole which is indicated by the numeral It, both for cooperation with the button 8.

In operation, as clearly indicated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the buttonhole 9 may be engaged over the button 8 (Figure 2) so as lto close the slot t and thereby afford free use of the pocket 3 without liability of losing the articles which might otherwise be carelessly deposited in slot t. Also the flap may be secured in closed position by engaging the buttonhole I0 over the but ton (Figure 1) so as to prevent loss of articles properly positioned Within the pocket 3. And again, both the liap 4 and the wall of the slot 6 may be released from the button or other fastening means so as to permit the wearer to extend his hand through the slot into his trouser pocket.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that trench coats, topcoats, etc., in which the present invention is incorporated, not only retain their original advantages but also are greatly enhanced in value in that the liability of loss of articles by carelessly placing them in the slot of the coat rather than in the pocket, as well as loss from the pocket itself, are reduced to a minimum if not entirely eliminated, and that these desirable advantages are attained by means of an extremely simple fastening means having the dual function of securing both the walls of the slot and the mouth of the pocket.

In compliance with the patent statutes, I have described what I now consider to be the preferred form of the invention but it is apparent that various minor changes may be made in structural details without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended that all such details be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A coat provided with a pocket and a vertlcal slot adjacent the mouth of the pocket and substantially coextensive therewith, a flap for said pocket, an extension on the forward edge of the slot, a button secured to said extension, and the body of the coat and the flap being provided with buttonholes for cooperation with said but- REFERENCES CITED ton.

2. An overcoat provided with a pocket and a slot adjacent the mouth of the pocket and open- The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

ing into the interior of the overcoat, a flap for 5 FOREIGN PATENTS said pocket, a fastening element secured to the Number Country Date material of the overcoat at one edge of the s1ot, 518 559 Great Briiiin Feb. 29 1940 and fastening means on the material of the over- 5211172 Great Briiain May 14j 1940 coat at the opposite edge of the slot and on the ap complementary to said fastening element, 104 whereby the slot and pocket may be secured in closed position or the pocket left in open posi- -Y tion While the slot remains in closed position.

JOSEPH DE GRAZIA. 

